[Fraulein]

Bush said that he would sign it if he crosses his desk. Why? So that he too can say to the soccer moms: "Well, it died in committee. What can I do?"

If Bush knew that it was not going to ever cross his desk, then why say anything at all about his willingness to sign it?

[sinkspur]

If Bush knew that it was not going to ever cross his desk, then why say anything at all about his willingness to sign it?

Bush playing good-cop to Delay's bad cop.

Making sausage is a pretty ugly process, but the end product tastes pretty good.

[TexanToTheCore]

"If Bush knew that it was not going to ever cross his desk, then why say anything at all about his willingness to sign it?"

Because it removed the issue from the debate, which is a W/Rove gambit that has been played many times. The first time I saw it was early in the campaign for election when ALGore brought up global warming and started in on W. W's reply was " I agree that there is global warming", and the issue never came up again in the contest for the Presidency. It was a brilliant strategy and they continue to use it as we see here.

[FairOpinion]

"If Bush knew that it was not going to ever cross his desk, then why say anything at all about his willingness to sign it? "

----

POLITICS. It would have been political suicide for him to say anything else. As I said in another post on this topic, can you imagine the Dem attack ads against Bush, calling him a baby killer and the graphic ads they would show, claiming that Bush is thwarting the will of the people, if Bush had said that he will veto it, if it passes Congress?

It is the responsibility of Congress to stop it, as they are doing.

[Lancey Howard]

If Bush knew that it was not going to ever cross his desk, then why say anything at all about his willingness to sign it?

(Jeez, how quickly we forget.)

Bush's spokeman said what he said so that the House members would understand that he will not save their rear-ends with a veto. He was telling the House "YOU take care of this."

It was the same gambit with CFR. The House chickened out (or maybe realized that the courts would save them) and Bush did what he warned he would do - - he signed the trash legislation rather than hand the scumbag Democrats a hammer.

And now the House understands that Bush means what he says.
The House will kill the extension.